Battle Cry
by FallenSeraphim2479
Summary: What happens when Ichigo discovers a new technique that is forbidden for most Shinigami? While fighting a group of hollows, a technique is forged.
1. What Does the Cry Say?

Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach. Please don't think I do.

**Battle Cry – 1**

**What does the cry say?**

The sword started to sing as if it was creating a battle cry. The pull on Ichigo's arm was almost overpowering, as if the sword was craving for blood. "I don't understand. As all the times I had ever held this sword, I never wanted to fight this bad before. It is like the sword has a soul of its own, a soul of a battle driven warrior who is always waiting for the next battle to start. I don't know what is making me do this, but this duel is going to become a great fight."

As Ichigo contemplated his thought about the sword, Rukia held a look of fear that would only give her more anxiety. Her body stood its ground because what was going through her mind, her body wasn't going to listen. "That song, The Zanbatou Battle Cry? I only heard rumors of two people to can use the Battle-Lust song and both of them are dead. Although I have never heard of the cry, few warriors wish they could wield it. It had been rumored that the cry makes a warrior crave the victims' energy and will destroy the target as long as the singer so wishes. The problem is that the singer loses sight and sees anything as a target, "Rukia becoming frustrated due to the battle that becoming greater by the second.

"Wait a minute, I also heard the cry is dangerous if use for some time. I think that if the wielder keeps the cry longer than 10 minutes after the last target was destroyed, the wielder loses his will and soul, and becomes lost within the song. That why some call this cry the "Last Will's testament. Reason why it's called that is because the two wielders who use it died after 20 minutes. The bodies became very weak and could not contain their souls. The body was burned by the soul due to the lack of battle and was burn by the soul's battle aura. The soul was released after the damage to their bodies was done. No documented evidence was given by the leaders of the shikagimi at the times and no one has ever heard of anyone using the cry since the two' deaths. That was over 500 earth years ago. Someone as young and inexperience as Ichigo would not survive this encounter." The fear that was containing Rukia's body was starting to lose its grip. "I will not lose him; I sacrifice too much to just see him die due to his inexperience."

As the cry was becoming louder, the group of hallows in front of him was wondering why has he not attack. One brave hallow gather enough courage after the initial shock came in. This one will be my victory, it's a shame that he did not fight back after letting his sword cry for just a short time. The Monkey-looking hallow sprang onto the warrior who carried an unconscious look within his eyes. "You will become an delicious feast as which I will take  
the first bite." the monster toothy lips seem to grow into a lopsided grin and started to open its mouth as to take a bite out of his soul and body. As the teeth of the monster started to advance on Ichigo's neck, the scowl on Ichigo's face was easing into a soft look.

As the hardness on his face was disappearing, Rukia was only beginning. "The cry is almost done, if I help him, I may start him off in a blood lust that can never leave. And if I don't, his going to die right in front off me. This is one job that I will hate for the rest of my life." Rukia started to conjure of a curse that would distract the hallow in hopes of Ichigo's cry finishing soon. "Let's us hope I don't fail you." As that small dialogue was finish within Rukia's mind, the Hallow stopped before crushing its teeth into the flesh of its victim. Then, a flash of light was quickly produced, followed by a scream, and as if the whole thing had just started, it ended just as quickly.

The monkey's head rolled onto the ground and landed as if the head was still on its body near the feet of his fellow comrades. Rukia had never looked at a hallow that contain fear. If it wasn't for the grave situation, she would of laugh at it. "You killed our friend, I hope you rot in the lowest pits of fire one we eat your soul." The fiends bounce on the small area and went after the calmed face warrior. Ichigo lifted up his arm into the air and a vortex of wind started to gather around him. The group of hallows was as close as there previous fiend, was gather into the vortex of wind. The bodies were slashed up within the windstorm and it started to rain onto Ichigo's face and body.

What was calm now carried the scowl that was previously on there. It didn't look right. The scowl contains the force of his everyday look, but his eyes didn't contain a soul. Rukia started to walk up the to the blood-drench body of the replaced death reaper, softly calling out his name, in hopes of reaching her replacement. Her voice fell on to deaf ears.

He did not respond. As the blood started to dry on his body, new wounds started to appear. The patterns violently slashed into his clothes and the wounds were opening from the inside. Rukia surprised by the sudden changes that happening to Ichigo started to chant a healing Kido but was knocked back by the white swirls of the wind that was gathering near the Ichigo. The now visible protective field started to absorb the fallen bodies of the hallows. Within the field, the blood from the hallows and his blood was mixing and gathering near his sword and heart. The red of his and black of the hollow's blood now glowed with an unholy aura.

The Aura started to dim. For unknown reasons, the blood was being absorbed by both the sword and soul. An disembodied voice started to speak, "**As one soul picks up the sword, a connection is made**.** Both shall now take up a cause and fight for what must be done**. **The Blood of both the Friend and the Foe must now be taken to heart of the Keeper**. **Let it be known, the Task of Soul and Sword shall be given and must be done**. **For if the Cry is unanswered, the Cry shall be silenced and shall not be recognized."**

The makeshift ceremony which only carried one witness saw what was done. The body of Ichigo waiver in its place and suddenly drop to the ground. Rukia, now stiff and tired from the force of the shield, remember the whole speech and hope that it was not an ill omen. Getting up, Rukia carefully picked up the soul reaper and started to bring back his soul to his body.


	2. What Does the Pictures and Images Mean?

Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach. Just using the characters for a mixed up fic. The minute you think that, please, don't email me saying that I own it when I don't.

**Battle Cry - 2**

**What does the words and pictures mean?**

"Itai! What in God's name have you done to Me."? Ichigo was yelling at the top of his lungs, doubting that anyone could hear him due to the rushing of water from the irrigation system.

"Absolutely nothing, you've done it to yourself," quipped Rukia. "You don't remember anything do you?"

"Nani, what did I do?"

"Only used a deadly technique without thinking! Saying that if you didn't complete the challenge, you would die a horrible death resulting in an afterlife being used as a devil's play thing." The powerless shinigami didn't know if that last part was right, but she knew for sure that the technique was dangerous.

Rukia explained the whole technique. "It is a mixture of a forbidden technique with the normal technique called "Will to Cut" It contained some high wordless kuso. Only 4 people in the Shinagami Academy history could actually use this ability and only one lived to talk about it. He also died within 2 weeks of using it. "

Ichigo's face could turn from a scowl to a look of fright in very little time.

Ichigo stammered a bit while he tried to say what was on his mind but his tongue and face wasn't working the way he hoped. "Sss-so what … now? Do I finish this … challenge or do I just die?" This fear something that Ichigo wanted to never feel, the loss of his life and of course, how it would affect his family.

"I don't know? I am willing to look up some research about this ability but there will not be much about it. Like I said, the surviving shinagami still died within 2 weeks after using the technique, in those 2 weeks he grew feral when he could not cut anything. He was not able to provide us with much information regarding the technique… His Battle Cry was different from yours; there were similarities but the technique draws on the individual's spirit power. Here let's break it apart and hope we can answer some of it, ne?"

"Alright, you'll have to repeat it because I don't know it," explained the cranky dumbfounded replacement.

"**As one soul picks up the sword, a connection is made**," stated Rukia in a nonchalant way.

"Well that's easy, all warriors have the same kinda connection when they pick up a weapon. What else is left?" stated Ichigo.

"**Both shall now take up a cause and fight for what must be done**."

"Again, I'm fighting for all the souls who need protection from the Hollows."

"**The Blood of both the Friend and the Foe must now be taken to heart of the Keeper**."

"Who the HELL is the Keeper, the Friend, and the Foe? I know that the Hollows are my foes but who are my friends? It could be anyone; Chad, Inoue? Even that damn Ishida! let alone somebody who I would call friend. Maybe the Keeper is the person who holds the sword or the one who keeps the souls. Argh, this part doesn't make sense at all. Let me hear the next one." Ichigo's frown deepened further.

"**Let it be known, the Task of Soul and Sword shall be given and must be done**."

"That might be the challenge; Soul and Sword of the warrior but it could be different? It could be what I am looking for… Is there more?

"Just one bit more…" Rukia was grim.

"**For if the Cry is unanswered, the Cry shall be silenced and shall not be recognized.**"

"Well that simple, I just die, nothing new about that. I need to figure out just how long till I have before the end. Maybe I can answer the challenge before that." Ichigo flopped onto his back.

"I don't know? Like I said, I have to do some research first. Let me talk to a guy I know about it tomorrow and I try to get more details about it." Rukia was tired of hearing him talk about it, still asking the same question. "I knew I should have brought my marker with me; at least I could of draw to help explain some of my answers…" She could see the pictures clearly in her mind.

"Alright, let's go home then, I need to think about what you said after I get some sleep." Ichigo was still feeling the pain in his limbs as he moved about, it felt like someone was constantly pricking him with needles.

As he looked around for the dropped sword, the prickling was decreasing; the need to hold the sword was subduing the pain.

When he grabbed the sword, the ache dulled to nothingness. No feeling at all. Empty. Something in the back of his mind was going wild begging him to cut something, to take his mind off the feeling of nothing, to stop the rain.

"I can smell, taste, hear, and see but I cannot feel anything at all. Maybe, it's the next stage of the Battle Cry? I just hope it's a temporary thing. I want to feel things again…" Ichigo mused quietly.

Rukia masked the despair that clenched at her when she saw the sadness on his face.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Blood. There was blood everywhere.

To a persons eyes, a river of blood up to their hips, covering everything but the hilt of a sword. The flow felt like it was coming from upstream, downstream, and side stream. In the real world, it would make no sense. A whirlpool of blood.

Why is there no end to the flow of blood? It's coming from everywhere! Why? Why? **Why**?

Then the flow stops. A feeling of uneasiness develops deep within the heart of the person. Then, the flow starts again, except this time; it goes straight to the blade. Like it was being called there.

Trying to stop the blood, the person tries to push back the blood but to no avail. The only thing that made sense to try was to remove the blade itself.

As the person tries to pull at the blade, a blinding light and a searing pain goes through the person. Making it feel like there is no end to the bloody battle.

Only after a dedicated will grows within the person, will the sword give in and slide free from the hilt. The blade is held up in front of the person's eyes. Slowly, the eyes open gaze upon a black and red blade that shows a reflection of the person.

The image is not who the person sought to see. The grinning face of a Hollow with bright orange hair is staring into the person's soul.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Ichigo woke from the dream, soaked in a sweat.

Testing his body he discovered that he still had no sense of feeling. The tangy smell of blood was still in his nose.

Shaking in fear, he got up from his bed and went to go and get a drink of water.

Before his left the room, he could hear the quiet sobbing of Rukia.


End file.
